IMPROVING THE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS VOCABULARY

MASTERY BY USING SCRABBLE GAME

AT SMP NEGERI 2 SARONGGI SUMENEP IN
ACADEMIC YEAR 2013/2014

Devi Ika Mariya Ulfa

10188203003275.
Advisor: (1) Drs. H. supriadi, Mpd (2) Jihat Nurrahman, Spd.
The research is conducted in order to describe the application of improving
students vocabulary mastery using scrabble game at the eighth grade
students of SMP Negeri 2 Saronggi. Then those data are analyzed by the
researcher by using descriptive analysis and statistic analysis to know the
final result of the implementation scrabble game toward students English
language in the Classroom Action Research (CAR). The result of this
research shows that using scrabble game in teaching vocabulary at eighth
grade of SMP Negeri 2 Saronggi can motivate the students to learn English
and enhance their vocabulary mastery. The students responses showed that
they were interested to learn English vocabulary because they thought that
the activities were interesting. Moreover, the students achievement in pretest and post-test which are analyzed that showed a significant
improvement. The students average score in pre-test was 53,7 and the
average score in post- test 1 was 60, 8 while in the post-test 2 was 70, 16.
The students vocabulary mastery post-test in every cycle showed
improvement, from 43% in the cycle 1 become 76% in cycle 2. Meanwhile
the students activeness was rated good, for 80% students got involved
actively during the teaching learning process. From this result, the
researcher concluded that teaching vocabulary using scrabble game
activities at eighth grade of SMP Negeri 2 Saronggi can enhance students
vocabulary mastery. From these prove, it can be said that the scrabble
game was one of applicable game to enhance the students vocabulary
mastery. Through playing this scrabble game it was intended to stimulate
the students in enhancing their vocabulary.
A. Introduction
Language has important role in human life, since language is a tool
which human use in communication with other people. Therefore, mastering some
foreign language is considerably necessary especially English because English is

one of the international languages used by most people in the world. In Indonesia,
English is not considered as a second language but a foreign language
Vocabulary is one of the important factors in learning English. A large
vocabulary opens students up to wider range of reading materials. It is undeniable
to say that vocabulary mastery is one of the aspects in English which is worth
increasing, and cannot be put aside. Without mastering adequate vocabulary, the
students will be unable to work on the four language skills.
The writer chooses game by consedering that game help and encourage
many learners to build their interest and work. According to Kolf (1989), through
games, vocabulary can be practiced and emphasized. Similarly with Hansen
(1994:118) said games are highly motivating and entertaining, and can give to shy
students more opportunity to express their opinions and feelings. Games brings in
relaxation and fun for students, thus help them learn and retain new words more
easily.
The writer finds out the appropriate game for Junior High School
students namely Scrabble. Scrabble is a word game. It is a fun way to improve
vocabulary, pronunciation and overall grammar. To play consists of forming
interlocking words, cross-word fashion on the Scrabble playing board using letter
tiles with various score values. Srabble is owned by a game company (Hasbro,
Inc). Srabble has 225 squares and 100 tile, of which each of the 26 letters of the
alphabet is represented in direct proportion to its frequency in words in the
English language. Letters are assigned point values according to this framework.

Scrabble helps improve the language. It builds vocabulary, It helps one

improves the spellings and t helps in developing the skill of anagramming.
Scrabble is good for the brain.

B. Method
The research design used in this study is a classroom action research.
According to Carr and Kemmis (1986) define action research as a form of selfreflective enquiry under taken by participants (teachers, students or principals, for
example) in social (including educational) situations in order to improve the
rationality and justice of (a) their own social or educational practices, (b) their
understanding of these practices, and (c) the situations (and institutions) in which
these practices are carried out. The aim of classroom action research is to improve
teaching and learning system.
Classroom action research was performed in a form of processes that
consist of four phases by Kemmis & Mc. Taggart (1992), they are: (1) planning of
the action, (2) implementing of the action, (3) observing of the action, and (4)
making analysis and reflection. This research consisted of two cycles and each
cycle consisted of four phases ;
1) Planning
In this step, the researcher and her collaborator prepared the proposed by
strategy designing the lesson plan, instruments, and the criteria of success.
2) Action
In this phase, the researcher implemented teaching activity using scrabble
game. It aimed to help the students to improve their vocabulary mastery.
3) Observing
In classroom action research, the observation focuses on collecting data during

writing instruction. This observation takes an important role using the

observation sheet, field notes, and written test.
4) Reflecting
Reflection is done to see the success or the failure of what has been done in the
previous action or during the action.
Furthermore, the setting of the research was SMPN 2 Saronggi, which was
located on Jl.Raya Tanjung. This school lied in Saronggi sub district the south of
central Sumenep town. It was About 15 Km from central Sumenep town to SMPN
2 Saronggi. The subject of the study was the eighth grade students of SMPN 2
Saronggi in academic year 2013/2014. There were four classes, but the researcher
took the VIII-B grade as object of study. There were twenty seven students of the
VIII-B grade in the second semester of 2013/2014 academic year participating in
this research. The researcher was choosed this class as the subjects of the study
because many students still had low score in English. In this research, there are
two kinds of data, namely : process data and product data. Process data were
taken from the students during the process of learning and teaching activities,
while product data were taken from of the students scores on test. In analyzing
the students progress of learning English, the writer used two formulas as
follows:

A
N

x 100

Where:
A : Gained Score

N : Maximum Score
S : Students Score
The result of the data analysis above is classified qualitatively to answer
the research problem based on the classification of the score levels below:
96 100 = Excellent
86 95

= Very Good

76 85

= Good

60 75

= Fair

0 59

= Poor

The classical analysis is used to analyze that the research is success or not.
According the curriculum, if 75% of the students passed the passing grade, its
mean that the research is success. The formula is:
X% =

Y
N

x 100

Where:
X% : Percentage of Success
Y

: Number of Students who passed in the test

: Total of the Students

C. Finding and Discussion

Cycle I
1. Planning

In the planning step, the researcher made a lesson plan, selected the
appropriate material and prepared the instruments to collect data, such as
observation sheets, field note and test. The reseacher also prepared posttest for the end of the cycle to know the students improvement in
vocabulary mastery.
2. Implementing
From the results of this research, the teacher tried to implement the
Scrabble game to improve vocabulary mastery. As what happened in the
teaching process, the students in the first time seemed hard to understand
the way to implementing Scrabble game and difficult to create a new
word.
3. Observing
Many students seemed to be confused with the teachers explanation, so
the teacher repeated the explanation slowly and used Bahasa Indonesia to
get classical attention. the teacher was able to perform all the steps as
stated in observation sheet but she did not obey the limitation of the time
for students in playing scrabble. Some groups finished their game too
early, but some others too late.
4. Reflecting
a. Analysis on the Instruction
Analyzing the reading instruction in the cycle I, It was found some
problem and weaknesses. Some of them were teachers explanation
was not clear, the examples given were not simple, the time allotment
was not set well, the teachers voice was not loud, and she did not go
around the class while explaining. For these weaknesses, it was
suggested that the teacher should give clear explanation, give clear and
easy examples.

b. Analysis on the Students vocabulary mastery

Based on the result of the post-test in cycle I, it could be concluded
that the average score of post-test was 60 points. The highest score was
85 and the lowest score was 40. The researcher analyzed that among
30 students who joined the test, only 13 students could get score 70 or
only 43% and the others got score less than 70. It means that the
students vocabulary mastery in class VIII B was still low. Based on
this result of post test in cycle I, the percentage of students who got
minimum score (70) still did not meet the criteria of success which had
been determined 75%. It meant that the action in the first cycle was
unsuccessful. For that reason, the researcher and the collaborator
decided to continue to the second cycle to get better result.

Tabel: 4.3 The result of Post-Test cycle I

NO
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

STUDENTS NAME

SCORE

AF
ARR
AR
AS
BS
BH
EDA
FDCS
FW
HDR
IF
JT
LM

60
75
65
45
80
40
70
45
75
60
40
75
70

14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

LID
MK
MY
MRBP
MAG
MA
NLD
NHS
RWT
RSC
RL
RNP
RMS
SF
SH
VDM
WR

85
55
75
70
50
40
70
55
75
45
70
45
55
60
55
70
50
1825
60,8

Total
Average

Cycle II
1. Planning
In the planning step of the cycle II, the researcher made a lesson plan,
other related instruments, and a post-test to measure the students
improvement in vocabulary mastery.
2. Implementing
The teaching and learning activity in the second cycle was the same as the
teaching and learning activity in the first cycle, but in the second cycle was
done improvements that had not complete in the first cycle
3. Observing

The teacher had already been able to convey her explanation better than
before. The students seemed to understand with the teachers explanation,
because the teacher explained the lesson slowly and switched in Bahasa
Indonesia. The brainstorming was completed, but she had to be more
creative in making questions so that the students would have a lot of
examples to learn. Almost of the students paid attention to the teachers
explanation; including those who sat in the back row.
4. Reflecting
a. Analysis on the Instruction
The time allotment had already set clearly, furthermore the teachers
voice was louder so that the students in back corner could hear the
explanation clearly, and the teacher also went around the class when
explaining the lesson. The students were active and enthusiastic in
joining the teaching and learning process in cycle 2.The information of
students activeness was obtained from the process data. It was taken
from the observation sheets and the field-notes during the teaching and
learning process.
b. Analysis on the Students vocabulary mastery
The teacher assesed students vocabulary mastery by giving score for
each correct and meaningful sentence. The result can be seen on table
4.4 below:
Tabel: 4.4 the result of Post-Test cycle II
NO
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

STUDENTS NAME
AF
ARR
AR
AS
BS
BH
EDA
FDCS

SCORE
75
75
70
55
85
60
70
70

9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

FW
HDR
IF
JT
LM
LID
MK
MY
MRBP
MAG
MA
NLD
NHS
RWT
RSC
RL
RNP
RMS
SF
SH
VDM
WR
Total
Average

75
65
80
75
70
85
75
75
70
55
65
70
70
75
55
70
55
70
75
70
70
75
2105
70,16

Based on the result of the post-test in cycle II, it could be concluded

that the average score of post-test was 70,16 points. The highest score
was 85 and the lowest score was 55. The researcher analyzed that
among 30 students who joined the test, 23 students could get score 70
or 76,6%. It meant that the students vocabulary mastery of the
students in class VIII B increased. Based on the cycle II result, the
percentage of students who got minimum score (70) had already met
the criteria of success (75%), and the average score had reached 70
points. It meant that the action in the second cycle was successful. For
that reason, the researcher and the collaborator decided to end the
research at the second cycle.
Discussion

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The students Vocabulary Mastery

In the first cycle, Some findings were found when the students played
scrabble. There were not all of the students able to create words easily. The
students post-test result had prove this facts. The passing grade score (70) only
gained by 13 students or only 43% from the entire class, while the others gained
score less than 70. Those students were felt difficult to make some words. For
example, the students Sf, ,As, and Lm. These students were really had low ability.
When playing scrabble, often cheat their friends. Moreover, their shyness had
made them difficult to join in the group.
In the second cycle, after having more experiences in playing the scrabble,
the level of students vocabulary mastery gradually increased. Most of the
students, including the low ability students tried to be better in creating the words.
This could be observed from their post-test results. In the second cycle, the
passing grade score (70) was reached by 23 students (76%), and Moreover,
students were now able to substitute the original sentences with their own words
without losing the sentences meaning. In the classroom, they were so active
because of the increased responsibility to participate in the activities in group.
Students are more responsible managers of their own learning (Larsen-Freeman,
1986).
The findings of the students vocabulary mastery above had proved a fact
that activities playing scrabble game in groups could improve studentsability.
This is in line with what Richard (2006:20) stated that through completing
activities in pairs or in small groups, learners will obtain several benefits: Students
can learn from hearing the language used by other members of the group,

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students motivational level is likely to increase, and they will have the chance to
enhance their vocabularies.
D. Conclusion and Suggestion
By analyzing the result of the implementation of scrabble game in the
teaching and learning reading at SMPN 2 Saronggi, for the students activeness
and vocabulary mastery could be done effectively through implementing the steps
of the game to the teaching reading that was done in three instructional phases:
Pre-reading phase, whilst- reading, and post-reading. The findings conclusion
from this study was that the use of scrabble game was able to enhance the
students vocabulary mastery. This was supported by the facts of the results of the
study.
The result of the students vocabulary mastery in every single steps
showed improvement. Based on the criteria of success that had been set that was
75% of the students could reach the passing grade 70, the result the pre-test was
only 7 students from 30 students or only 24% could reach the passing grade 70.
However after having treatments in some cycles, students vocabulary mastery
result increased in post-test in each cycle; from 43% in the cycle 1 become 76% in
cycle 2. Meanwhile the students activeness were rated good, for 80% students got
involved actively during the teaching learning process in cycle 1, and almost
100% got involved actively during the teaching learning process in cycle 2.
For the conclusion, the scrabble game was one of applicable game to
enhance the students vocabulary mastery. Through playing this scrabble game it
was intended to stimulate the students in enhancing their vocabulary. Therefore

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through this game, it was expected that the students would be able to create
English sentences easily.
Suggestion
a. For the Teacher
The teachers should select some appropriate and interesting game based
on the students needs for example using scrabble game. An interesting and
challenging game will bring good situation in the learning activities.
b. For the Students
Students should be more active and creative in the learning process.
Playing games is one of the interesting activities that children love to do. So,
through playing scrabble game in the learning activity the students creativity
could be stimulated, this game especially could help enhance students vocabulary
mastery.
c. For the Institution
The institution should provide various techniques and media to help the
teachers improving both their teaching skill and students achievement. One of the
applicable media is scrabble board that used to play scrabble game in which in
this study, had proven able to enhance the students vocabulary mastery.

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